“Events Dear Boy. Events!” A Classic Caribbean Christmas Dish ~ December 2021

The National Fruit of Jamaica Is Ackee. Whilst It Is A Fruit Grown On A Tree, It Is Served As A Delicate Savoury Cooked Food. Traditionally With Saltfish. Just Like Its Good People It Needs To Be Treated  Tenderly, Lovingly & Carefully. It Naturally Poisonous If Not Prepared Properly.  Handled Well It Is Simply A Natural Delicious Delicacy.

It Is A Wonderfully Versatile Caribbean All Day Dish, Perfect  For Breakfast, Lunch, Brunch or Dinner. It Is Also Fabulous As An Everyday Staple or Delicious Special Treat At Any Celebration or Special Occassion. For Example It Makes A Perfect Christmas Breakfast. Birthday Breakfast. Or Celebratory Brunch or Lunch. It Is Very Healthy & Light In Weight But Heavy In A Protien Packed Power Punch To Fortify The Body.

So Here Is A Simple Stress Free Receipe For Preparin’ Jamaica’s National Dish. The Main Ingredients Can Be Obtained From Your Local West Indian Food Retailers. Retailers Can Also Source Them From International Jamaican Exporters Such As Lasco In Jamaica For Instance (lascojamaica.com). Grace Foods Sponsored The First Ever Caribbean Food Festival In Windrush Square In 2016 & Have Done It Again A Number of Times Since Then. They Are Well Placed To Do So As The Company Behind Such Big Food Brands As Nurishment, Encona And Dunns River (gracefoods.co.uk).

Whilst Nothin’ Beats Great Homecookin’ Sometimes, Especially Durin’ High Days & Holidays, It’s Great To Eat Out or Get A Delivery Bought In And That’s Where New Kids On The Block Rudies Jerk Shack Come In. With 6 Eat In Outlets Across London, A Takeaway Service & A Delivery Platform on Deliveroo & Uber Eats They’ve Got You Covered When It Comes To Caribbean Food & Tasty Tropical Treats.

Preparin’ The Salt Fish 

1. Soak 2-3 Traditional Packets of Saltfish Overnight In A Pan To  Remove The Excess Salt. Discard The Water  & Replace With Fresh Water. Bring The Fish To The Boil And Discard Water Again. One To Three Times Is  Sufficient To Remove The Excess Salty Taste. Taste Check A Small Piece of The Saltfish After Each Boil. Stop According To Your Taste Buds And How  Salty or Not You Like It. 

2. Allow To Cool. When Cooled,  Gently Debone & Remove Any Fish Skin With Your Hands. This Will Be Easy To Do As The Fish Will No Be Soft & Pliable. Then Flake The Fish Into Bitesize Pieces.

NB: Boneless Skinless Versions of Saltfish Are Now Available Which Means This Part of The Process May Have Been Done Already. And Lasco’s Even Do New Boneless, Skinless & Read To Eat Verions (Comparable To Tinned Tuna For Instance).

3. Usin’ Which Ever Version You Like Best, Now Place The Boneless & Skinless Saltfish In A Bowl. Drizzle With Olive Oil. Season to taste. For Instance Garlic, Fish Seasonin, Dill, Parsley, Lemon Juice, And Capers. Gently Mix together. Set aside. 

Preparing The Onion, Tomatoes,  Scotch Bonnet & Peppers 

1. Separately Slice, Stripe & Then Blanche In Hot Water, 3 Tomatoes, 3 Onions, 3 Scallions, 1 Scotch Bonnet & 1 Red Pepper, 1 Yellow, And 1 Green Bell Pepper (Each Pictured Below) .  

2. Drain. Then Gently Sweat Down In A Little Olive Oil & ButterUntil Soft & Tender.  

3.  Gently Mix Together. Set aside. 

Preparin’ The Ackee 

1. Open A Tin of Ackee.  Dunn’s River Ackee As Illustrated Is A Below Is A Good Example of How It Comes. Drain Well In A Colander.

2. Pour Boiling Water Over The  Drained Ackee. (Twice!) 

*This Washin’ Process Is Essential Otherwise This Fruit  Can Be Deadly!* 

3. Once Drained And Washed off With Hot Boiling Water, Shake Colander Thoroughly & Gently Pat off Any  Excess Water Usin’ Kitchen Towel.  Set Aside.

Bringin’ The Saltfish, Vegetables & Ackee  Together 

1. Retrieve The Prepared Saltfish.  Place In A Large Mixin’ Bowl.

2. Place The Prepared Vegetables on Top of The Saltfish

3. Place The Prepared Ackee on Top of The Prepared Vegetables

4. Gently Mix Together Usin’ Clean Hands, Bein’ Careful Not To Break The Ackee Pieces Up Too Much. 

5. Place on A Low Heat In A Frying Pan With 1-2 tablespoons of Olive Oil Gently Drizzled On Top.

6.   Cook Gently On A Low Heat Until Soft & Tender Enough To Eat. Check Approximately Every 15 Minutes. Add A Little Water To The Pan As You Go Along If Required (To Prevent The Pan From Catchin’. And A Little Dab of Butter Too If Desired.

7. Carefully Transfer To An Ovenware Servin’ Dish And Cover With Foil. Place In The Oven On A Low Heat To Keep Warm & Tenderise Further Until Ready To Serve

Delicious With Butter Beans And Spinach or Calaloo. Season The Greens To Taste. For Instance Springle With Tabasco, Dunn’s River Nutmeg, And Grated Parmesan Cheese.

Enjoy!

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